Invalid Boot Diskette

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Help!!! I notified Dell and was given instructions on how to delete
partitions and work in dos mode to format my drive. I use to run Windows 98
SE, but for the last three years I have had Windows XP. I got a virus and
the rest is all downhill from there. I wanted to restore my PC to factory
condition and reinstall Windows XP. I did what needed to be done in dos, but
now when my PC starts up it goes to a black screen that says, "Invalid Boot
Diskette- Insert Boot Diskette in A:", but the problem is, I did not make a
back up disc on floppy like I was suppose to. Someone told me to try and
remove the battery from the motherboard and then turn the PC on and it should
boot from my Windows XP CD, but it won't. My Cd-Rom is set up to be my first
boot device so that is not the problem. Does anyone have any suggestions on
how I can fix my PC to get rid of the Invalid Boot Diskette error and to a
regular screen on my PC???? Thank you!!!

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

http://www.bootdisk.com/
Download the appropriate boot disk and expand to a floppy.
If you use a 98 boot disk you can load the CD drivers from the floppy and
then navigate to the CD drive with XP in the drive and run setup from there.
peterk

--
It's so much easier to suggest solutions when you don't know too much about
the problem
"Kelly Eisenhard" <KellyEisenhard@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message news:47EF87F7-DAEA-4B05-9BBC-BB935B0D3A42@microsoft.com...
> Help!!! I notified Dell and was given instructions on how to delete
> partitions and work in dos mode to format my drive. I use to run Windows
> 98
> SE, but for the last three years I have had Windows XP. I got a virus and
> the rest is all downhill from there. I wanted to restore my PC to factory
> condition and reinstall Windows XP. I did what needed to be done in dos,
> but
> now when my PC starts up it goes to a black screen that says, "Invalid
> Boot
> Diskette- Insert Boot Diskette in A:", but the problem is, I did not make
> a
> back up disc on floppy like I was suppose to. Someone told me to try and
> remove the battery from the motherboard and then turn the PC on and it
> should
> boot from my Windows XP CD, but it won't. My Cd-Rom is set up to be my
> first
> boot device so that is not the problem. Does anyone have any suggestions
> on
> how I can fix my PC to get rid of the Invalid Boot Diskette error and to a
> regular screen on my PC???? Thank you!!!

 

[M]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

I had a similar problem with a Dell that refused to boot from the CD ROM
even the is was set as the first boot drive in the BIOS. The solution was
to disable all other boot devices after which it booted from the CD. XP
then loaded onto the hard drive even though the hard drive was disabled in
the BIOS. Maybe this will work for you.
If this fails I would try removing the floppy disc cable from the
motherboard and replacing it after XP has loaded.
"Kelly Eisenhard" <KellyEisenhard@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message news:47EF87F7-DAEA-4B05-9BBC-BB935B0D3A42@microsoft.com...
> Help!!! I notified Dell and was given instructions on how to delete
> partitions and work in dos mode to format my drive. I use to run Windows
> 98
> SE, but for the last three years I have had Windows XP. I got a virus and
> the rest is all downhill from there. I wanted to restore my PC to factory
> condition and reinstall Windows XP. I did what needed to be done in dos,
> but
> now when my PC starts up it goes to a black screen that says, "Invalid
> Boot
> Diskette- Insert Boot Diskette in A:", but the problem is, I did not make
> a
> back up disc on floppy like I was suppose to. Someone told me to try and
> remove the battery from the motherboard and then turn the PC on and it
> should
> boot from my Windows XP CD, but it won't. My Cd-Rom is set up to be my
> first
> boot device so that is not the problem. Does anyone have any suggestions
> on
> how I can fix my PC to get rid of the Invalid Boot Diskette error and to a
> regular screen on my PC???? Thank you!!!

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

"Kelly Eisenhard" <KellyEisenhard@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in
message news:47EF87F7-DAEA-4B05-9BBC-BB935B0D3A42@microsoft.com...
> Help!!! I notified Dell and was given instructions on how to delete
> partitions and work in dos mode to format my drive. I use to run Windows
98
> SE, but for the last three years I have had Windows XP. I got a virus and
> the rest is all downhill from there. I wanted to restore my PC to factory
> condition and reinstall Windows XP. I did what needed to be done in dos,
but
> now when my PC starts up it goes to a black screen that says, "Invalid
Boot
> Diskette- Insert Boot Diskette in A:", but the problem is, I did not make
a
> back up disc on floppy like I was suppose to. Someone told me to try and
> remove the battery from the motherboard and then turn the PC on and it
should
> boot from my Windows XP CD, but it won't. My Cd-Rom is set up to be my
first
> boot device so that is not the problem. Does anyone have any suggestions
on
> how I can fix my PC to get rid of the Invalid Boot Diskette error and to a
> regular screen on my PC???? Thank you!!!

Did you go into the BIOS and change the setting to boot from the cd?

 

[Richard]

Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.hardware (More info?)

Kelly,

See if you have a friend with a Win98 or WinME boot
disk it should work to get you up.